


Head Spin

by gryffindorsqueen



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age II
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-31
Updated: 2014-07-31
Packaged: 2018-02-11 06:30:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2057463
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gryffindorsqueen/pseuds/gryffindorsqueen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The rivalry between Fenris and Anders finally comes to a head and they come to blows.</p><p>Luckily, Varric is there to stop them before they do anything completely stupid.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Head Spin

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first post here - very exciting! I'm hoping to write a few Dragon Age pieces soon (including an AU)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoy this one :)

Anders has little interest in card games and drink doesn't give him a merry glow like it used to.

Yet every week, he finds himself treading the familiar path to The Hanged Man for rounds of drinks and games of Diamondback. He pretends he doesn't know why and comments on it every week but Hawke is the reason. Like Hawke is the reason he tolerates Merrill's insane blood magic justifications and Fenris' venomous diatribes about mages. He sighs wistfully to himself and thinks of her smile, of her sharp wit, of her talent as a rogue and a mediator.

It amazes him how she does not have men throwing themselves at her feet.

She'd have more, he knows, if she was living in Hightown where she belonged. But for now she is stuck in Lowtown and Anders is more than happy to be her only admirer. Of course, he isn't. He's seen the way Fenris watches her, his dark moody brow lifting when he sees her. Anders grinds his teeth and tries not to think of it. Surely Hawke has more sense...

Anders shakes his head. He knows he has nothing to offer her but Fenris is little more than a wild animal sniffing at her boots.

The path through Lowtown at night is dangerous but since he's lived in Darktown, the danger doesn't seem so great. And the thought of seeing Hawke again a few moments is enough to make him forget about Fenris for a moment. The wind ruffles the feathers on his coat and Anders stops abruptly.

Gamlen's house is just around the corner and Anders is sure he is early.

He hesitates before smiling to himself and setting off, hoping to catch Hawke on the way to The Hanged Man. _'Time alone with her is just what I need,'_ he thinks, ignoring Justice's rumble of disapproval. _'Away from the bloody elf who thinks he's such a bloody victim.'_

Fenris escaped his suffering, while Anders' is getting worse. And yet all the elf can do is snarl about how deserved it is, about how all mages are pure evil -

But now is not the time to think of it. Anders rounds the corner and grins when he sees Gamlen's front door opening. He stands and waits at the bottom of the steps, pleased with his timing.

Only instead of Hawke, Fenris steps out.

Anders' smile quickly transforms into a deep scowl. Fenris spots him quickly and his shoulders clench like a dog raising its hackles. He stalks towards him, his tattoos shimmering dangerously.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Anders hisses, clenching his fists by his side.

Fenris actually growls. "Nothing to do with you, _mage_."

Anders feels hatred, jealousy and competition build up and burst in him. _'Who does he think he is? Visiting Hawke, talking to her family when all the time he hates mages - the whole reason her family came into being!'_

"Did she throw you out?" Anders can't resist, gesturing back to the house.

"She is not there." Fenris' eyes flash.

Anders snorts. "I'm not surprised. Had enough of you sniffing around her I bet. Don't you know she already has a dog?"

Fenris' tattoos glow brighter. "Watch your mouth, mage. I do not have the patience for your mockery."

"Why?" He's curious to see how far Fenris will go and even more curious to see how far _h_ e will go. "I'm just telling you the truth. She doesn't want you, Fenris!"

Fenris laughs and the hair on the back of Anders' neck stands up. "And she wants you?" He shakes his head. "And you think I am the one deluding myself."

Anders suddenly wants nothing more than to hit Fenris' teeth out. "Better me than you! Can you imagine Hawke settling for a slave? You're a lot more trouble than you are worth, I'm sure." He can't resist stepping closer and getting a good look in the elf's eyes. He wants to see pain, he wants to see defeat... "If she wants a slave, I'm sure she'd be better off buying a well-behaved one."

Before he can blink, Anders is led flat on his back; a hot pain shooting through his coccyx.

"I am _not_ a _slave_!"

Fenris is advancing on him and Anders manages to avoid a heavy blow to the side of his head by rolling over quickly. Primal fury like nothing he has known before overtakes him and all he can think of is eliminating this rival. Without him, he and Hawke could be together, he is sure of it...

He delivers a swift kick to Fenris' ankles and he topples, falling into the dirt. He snarls and turns but Anders is on him too quickly, kneeing him in the shoulder. Fenris groans but grabs Anders' foot, pulling him back onto the ground. He feels Fenris' strong hands trying to seize his wrist, his hair, his face...Anders manages to bat him away and realises Fenris is a dirty fighter. He isn't really surprised.

But the elf wraps his arm around Anders' neck, holding him in a choking headlock. His legs are around his waist, preventing him from even struggling let alone escaping. Anders gasps for air and closes his eyes; the brown of Lowtown replaced with pale blue light.

 _'This is a foolish distraction.'_  Justice says, sounding almost bored.

' _Yes,_ ' Angers agrees. _'One I am losing!'_

Then he feels a surge of power from the back of his mind where Justice lingers, and suddenly his hands are ice cold and clamped around Fenris' arm. Anders opens his eyes and squirms out of his grasp while he can, all of his power pooling in his freezing hands as he kneels over him.

The elf roars and writhes with the agony, his tanned skin already turning purple. Anders feels a rush of bitter joy.

And then Fenris, with all the power and grace of a cat, rolls Anders onto his back, draws back his free arm and punches him hard in the face. It feels like his nose has exploded - _'it quite possibly has_ ,' he thinks - and warm blood runs like red beetles all over his face, filling his mouth with metal. He splutters just Fenris pulls his arm free of his icy grip and slogs him in the gut.

The breath is knocked out of him and he wheezes, his ribs bruised. He tries to get to his feet - or knees at least - and plans his next move, his staff completely forgotten. _'I need something heavy...'_

But Fenris has stopped and Anders looks up to see him scrambling backwards, his armour in a strange position. Then he drops to the floor and Anders sees Varric, his face in an uncharacteristic scowl. Anders silently congratulates Varric on his ability to haul Fenris off him with one hand and almost makes a quip about it but Varric's serious expression stops him.

The dwarf looks between them for a moment and Anders realises what they must look like - two grown men in a heap on the floor, fighting over a woman who has given no romantic attentions to either of them.

"I was just on my way to The Hanged Man," Varric begins, pacing along some invisible line between them. "to rest my weary bones and play an honest game of Diamondback. Have a few drinks, chat with a few friends..." Varric stops, glaring at both of them. "So imagine my surprise when I find two of the aforementioned friends brawling in the street."

"Varric, he - "

"He said - "

"I couldn't give a nug's arse." Varric cuts across them both, his eyes flickering from one bruised face to the other. "If it were me, I'd let the two of you slog out your problems and take bets on the winner. But Hawke..." At the mention of her name, Anders' stomach gives a guilty lurch. He glances over to Fenris who's also looking uncomfortable. "Hawke, for all her atrocious jokes, just wants everyone to get along. And she's been through enough. Last thing she needs is you two murdering each other and leaving her with two crazy-shaped holes in her friendship group."

"He was coming out of her house." Anders says, spitting blood into the dust. "He's always around her, you must have noticed - "

"I have Blondie, as it goes." Varric replies coolly, resting against the wall and crossing his arms. "I've also noticed Hawke doesn't seem to mind."

Anders looks over just in time to see Fenris smirking at him. Fury burns in him once more and his fingers twitch. _'Perhaps fire this time - '_

"I've also noticed," Varric interrupts, glaring at Fenris. "That she doesn't send him away either."

The elf huffs and Anders feels a surge of hope. He wipes some of the blood from his face with his sleeve. Varric watches for a moment, obviously thinking.

"You know, if you two just shut up and pretend to get along, one of you might have a chance with her." Anders' interest is peaked at Varric's words and out of the corner of his eye, he sees Fenris look up too. At last, Varric laughs. "No point looking at me like that. I don't which one of you lunatics she's got a bigger soft spot for."

Fenris slowly climbs to his feet, still nursing his frostbitten arm.

Anders follows suit, his body aching. Varric looks between them and tuts. Then he chuckles, beckoning them to follow him. They do without another word but Anders is still seething. _'I would rather be without her than see her with **him**.'_

 _'Calm yourself, Anders'._ Justice rumbles again. _'This is a pointless fight.'_

Anders silently agrees but he cannot shake the thought all the same.

"Come on, you idiots." Varric mutters, shaking his head like some disappointed uncle. "We're late. I don't want them to start without us."

They enter The Hanged Man and are greeted with the usual wall of noise and smell. Hawke is sat where she usually is, in the middle seat of the middle table. Anders smiles at that, knowing it's only right. Without her, they'd all be separated and trying to fight their causes alone. And despite the pain in his back and the blood on his face, he feels better than ever just being able to watch her laugh with Merrill and Isabela.

Varric approaches the table first and he and Fenris follow like naughty children.

"What are you ladies laughing about, may a gentleman enquire?" Varric takes his usual seat on Hawke's left.

"Sebastian's bride!" Merrill giggles and waves the plate bearing Andraste's face.

Then Anders notices Sebastian stood between Merrill and Isabela, looking exasperated. Anders nearly laughs at the image of them managing to take it from where it hung over his crotch.

"It is..." Hawke is peering at it with bright eyes. "Remarkably detailed. Does she inspire much in you, Seb - oh, Maker!" She claps her hands over her mouth when he finally looks at Anders and Fenris, both standing awkwardly by the table. "What happened to you two?"

There's pause and they both look to Varric. The dwarf clears his throat. "Some cut throats happened upon them on the way here. Don't worry Hawke, Bianca and I helped them out." He pats his crossbow and winks.

For the briefest of moments, Hawke looks like she's about to call bullshit, but to his surprise she doesn't. Instead she clambers out of her seat and rounds the table to examine their injuries.

And Anders knows - Maker, he _knows_ \- it's childish but he can't help feeling bitter when she examines Fenris first.

"You poor boys." She teases when she's sure they're not dying. "Sit down and rest."

Aveline hands them a drink each and pats them on their backs, taking her seat next to Varric. The only two seats left are next to each other and opposite Hawke. Anders shares a glare with Fenris before they both sit down and drink deeply from their tankards.

"Anders, can't you do something about this?" Hawke says suddenly, reaching over the table tapping Fenris' black-blue arm with one finger. "It looks terribly painful." Then she stares at Fenris. "And you had better let him."

Anders notes the surprise on her face - and the smirk on Varric's - when both of them obey without a word. He doesn't want to be anywhere near Fenris, let alone touching him...

Still it's worth it, he decides, to see the smile on Hawke's face when he's done and Fenris is flexing his arm.

But as Varric deals the cards, Anders thinks back to the dwarf's earlier words. _"One of you might have a chance."_

He stares blankly at his hand of cards and feels Fenris fidget next to him.

 _'Who does she smile for?'_ Justice asks.

And Anders has no answer.


End file.
